Took a wrong turn somewhere (or is it right?)

[yokunaru]

[When Yuuri wakes up, he's greeted with a pounding headache, the likes of which he's never had before. Opening his eyes gets him an eyeful of cheerful sunlight that sends him whimpering back under the covers. He tries again a few minutes later, just managing to swing his legs over the side of the bed, wincing the whole time.

He freezes when he finally gets a good look at the room. This is...not his hotel room.

The shock is enough to temporarily push back the discomfort and make him jump to his feet. What happened? Where am I? he wonders, when he comes up empty handed after a quick search of the room for his belongings. One hand running through his hair as his panic steadily rises, Yuuri finally starts toward the door, intent on finding answers.]

Comments

[wauuu]

[he'll try to lighten the mood with a smile]

I'd really like that, Yuuri. I'm sure he'll love it... [Victor will look around curiously, Makkachin was probably knocked out on his bed for an evening nap] Whenever he's awake that is, lazy dog.

[yokunaru]

[That does the trick. With a small smile, Yuuri finishes putting away the groceries closest to him and then surveys the clean counter with satisfaction.]

There. With all this, I can definitely make one of the Japanese dishes for you tonight. [He pauses when he glances at the clock.] Mm... it's a little early to even prep for that, though. We could...do something else until then?

[wauuu]

If you would like! Did you have something in mind? [he's going to be respectfully of this whole "going slow" thing by not edging that with a sexual undertones. You're welcome.]

[yokunaru]

[He appreciates the effort, Victor. Really. Yuuri crosses his arms over his chest as he thinks.]

When Phichit and I didn't feel like leaving the dorm, we'd just watch movies together and play with his hamsters. What about you?

[wauuu]

I hide in my studio most days. Or sit at the far end of the longest hallway and toss Makkachin a ball until he got worn out.

[yokunaru]

[Victor's answer draws a soft laugh out of him.]

We did say we'd spend time with Makkachin. [He smiles shyly.] Besides, we can talk while we're doing that, too.

[wauuu]

Let me get his ball then, the hallway upstairs is best. [Victor will look around the living room, eventually finding a well used squeaky ball. Heading upstairs, he'll squeeze it and the sound immediately draws the dog with ears perked, out from his napping room.]

Going to fetch! Fetch! [the poodle jumps into the air excitedly, springing cartoonishly alongside Victor, nearly able to snatch it out of his hand from how high the dog can get with each leap]

[yokunaru]

[Seeing the poodle so excited 100% convinces Yuuri that he made the right choice. He wishes that he'd thought to visit Hasetsu more often to see Vicchan, but... there's no use dwelling on that now. At least he can play with Makkachin and make this poodle a bit happier in the meantime.]

Wow, look at him go.

[Yuuri laughs when Makkachin jumps particularly high and just barely misses the ball.]

[wauuu]

Go on! [Victor will get to the far end of the long hallway and toss the ball, sending it and the dog careening away. Makkachin scrambles with teeth out to snatch the toy, rushing back down full speed. Then, of course, it's "no take! only throw!" as the dog offers the ball back, only to try and tug it back when grabbed for. Victor gives a command in Russian and the dog finally relents. Victor hands it to Yuuri to throw]

Not shy of slobber, I hope.

[yokunaru]

[He takes the ball without hesitation, still grinning.] Got used to it within the first month of getting my dog. Makkachin, go! [The ball soars down the hallway, bouncing along as the poodle gives chase.]

Hey, Victor? How'd you get Makkachin anyway? [Then, remembering what Victor had said earlier about not hiding anything, Yuuri adds-] The interviews always had picture of the two of you together, but nothing about that.

[wauuu]

[Makkachin is on repeat so long as a ball is being thrown, he doesn't care by who. Victor smiles at the question.]

He was a gift from Yakov! I was down after the death of my previous dog and he couldn't shake me from it. One morning I was lacing my skates and he walked in with this little poodle in his arms. I started crying on the spot. [he laughs]

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri absentmindedly scratches Makkachin behind the ears when he comes back to them, tail wagging.]

Yakov, really? [There's no hiding his surprise, and Yuuri blushes, hoping that didn't sound too rude.] Um, I don't mean anything by it, he just looks so stern whenever I see him. I heard him yelling at the other Yuri in the lobby, too.

[wauuu]

He's a deceptively sweet man, he cares a lot about his skaters. My heart was fragile as glass, but he knew what to do with me.

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri turns once he's thrown the ball for Makkachin again, and smiles gently at Victor.]

I'm glad you had someone like that looking out for you.

[And the picture Victor had painted of that exchange was a sweet one. Yuuri's happy to have been wrong about Yakov.]

[wauuu]

He's still fussing over me! "Vitya, what about your next season?" "Vitya, are you considering retirement?" Vitya, Vitya, Vitya.... [he puts on a mocking gruff voice for it, but it's clear from his expression it's all teasing. Yakov could be a nag, but that's what Victor needed, more often than not... if only to ignore and do his own thing.]

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri laughs, shifting in place until he's sitting cross legged and facing Victor.]

Isn't that what coaches are supposed to do? [He says that, but well, his relationship with Celestino is a little different. Each coach has their own method of handling their students, anyway.] What does "Vitya" mean, though?

[wauuu]

Vitya? It's just a cute version of "Victor". He calls me that, a lot. [a term of endearment, even if he mostly just scolded the skater with it]

[yokunaru]

Oh, a nickname? [He leans forward, interested.]

Does that mean you have one for him, too? Mr. Celestino sometimes lets his students call him "Ciao Ciao".

[wauuu]

Oooh, no, no. I don't think he'd put up with a nickname from me! I owe him at least the respect of "Coach Yakov", for all he's put up with over the years.

[yokunaru]

[He arches a brow at him.] For all he's put up with?

[Surely Victor doesn't mean he's given Yakov trouble...?]

[wauuu]

He's been coaching me my whole career! I was an embarrassing and difficult teenager, can't say I got much easier with age.

[yokunaru]

Really? [Yuuri takes a moment to amend his mental compilation of Victor Facts.] I never would have guessed.

So that means you've been working together for a really long time now. I've only been with Mr. Celestino for a few years.

[wauuu]

Yakov is more family to me than anybody else. I wouldn't be so successful without him, even if I've hardly followed his lead. He said to me once "Victor Nikiforov wants to be shown the path so he knows where not to tread".

I think he meant as a jab, but I thought it was rather poetic.

[yokunaru]

[The more he hears about Yakov and Victor's relationship, the harder he smiles.] It does sound poetic. And fitting, if you're trying to do something different all the time.

Is Yakov this way with all his other skaters?

[wauuu]

He treats everybody different, depending on their personalities. I don't think he'd bring a puppy to cheer up Georgi or Yuri. He's an attentive man, very understanding of our individuality... [Victor really respects Yakov, even if he broke away from the molds the man tried to place him in. He speaks about him more like an admirable father than simply a coach.]

He has a lot of love in him; both for the sport and for his proteges. More so than his gruff appearance would suggest!